News & Stats

Barn Notes

Haskell Runners Make Final Preparations

Posted Friday, Jul 26, 2013

With just hours to go before the 46th
running of the Jersey shore classic,
contestants are making their final preparations for the $1,000,000 William Hill
Haskell Invitational. The following highlights what the nation’s top
3-year-olds are doing to get ready for Sunday’s Grade 1 mile and an eighth event.

·Kentucky Derby runner-up Golden Soul went out for a routine 1 ¼ gallop Friday morning at
Saratoga on a track rated as fast and trainer Dallas Stewart said that he would
do the same on Saturday prior to shipping to Monmouth Park in the afternoon.

·Trainer Todd Pletcher texted “all good” after Long Branch stakes winner Micromanage and multiple stakes winner Verrazano put in routine gallops Friday morning at Saratoga. The colts, who run for separate
ownership interests, will leave Saratoga
early Sunday morning and are scheduled to arrive at Pletcher’s Monmouth barn by
mid-morning.

·Preakness Stakes winner Oxbow was being vanned to Monmouth on Friday and trainer D. Wayne
Lukas said the colt was expected to arrive on the grounds and be settled into
his stall by feeding time this afternoon.

·Trainer Dale Romans, who remained undecided
whether graded stakes placed Pick of the
Litter would be sent to Monmouth Park on Saturday afternoon or Sunday
morning, sent his charge out for a 1 ½ miles gallop at Saratoga Friday morning.

·Easy Goer stakes winner Power Broker arrived from Southern California late on Thursday
afternoon and Jimmy Barnes, assistant trainer to Bob Baffert, said that the
colt traveled so well that he went to the track for a 1 ¼ miles gallop Friday
morning and would school in the paddock before the second race later in the
afternoon.

·Vyjack
galloped 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga
and trainer Rudy Rodriguez said the Jerome and Gotham Stakes winner remained on
schedule to contest the Haskell and would arrive on the grounds on Sunday
morning.